HUMAN BLOODHOUNDS OF AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10127, 9 May 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

HUMAN BLOODHOUNDS OF AUSTRALIA.

The "black tracker" is one of tho most useful members of the Australian police force. He is to bo found, in uniform, at all the head stations throughout the colonies, and his services are in constant demand. He is recruited from the aboriginal tribes, who, as a rule, are spoken of by scientist' as being perhaps the lowest race of mankind yet discovered. This may be true, but certain it is that the Australian aboriginals' senses of seeiug, hearing, and smelling excel thoso of every savage tribe, not excluding the NorthAmerican Indians. This may be accounted for by the fact that on these be has to depend for his daily food. Ho will find plenty to eat in the bush

WHERE A WHITE MAN WOULD STARVE. He never lays in a stock of food for a rainy day, but lives only for the present. That this acute development is only brought about by constant practice has been proved by white men who lived among the aboriginals in their savago state becoming equally expert. Observe an aboriginal, in his native state, searching for food or game. A scratch on the trunk of a tree, a broken twig, an overturned stone, a piece of moss rubbed off—in short, just such trifles as would escapo the white man's attention— of the utmost significance to him. By smelling a handful • of soil taken from the hollow of a treo ho can tell if there is an animal hidden in it. By putting his ear close to a hole in the ground, and listening tor the animal's breathing, he can tell if the occupant is at home, without troubling to dig. He will follow a bee flying high overhead at full speed until it arrives at its destination and points out the entrance to its hive. He will follow the trail of a kangaroo for miles through dense forests and over rocky ground. Show him a footmark, and be will not only tell you the sex of the owner, but the tribo to which he or she belongs, and very often reveal tho identity of the person without hesitation. If the ground be in any way soft or impressionable, a black tracker will follow the trail on horseback at full gallop, leaning well over tho saddle, on the off side, with his eyes firmly fixed on the ground. He can track a person along a crowded thoroughfare and over the hardest roadway. The writer was once privileged, through the courtesy of an inspector of the police, to accompany him, together with two black trackers, to the scene of a murderous outrage in which a man and a woman had been robbed and most brutally ill-treated. The occurrence took place in a small town in Victoria, and the black trackers had been sent from Melbourne to assist in tracking the culprits. The house in which the outrage occurred tfas about two hundred yards away from any Othor, and was situated on the bank of a creek. The black trackers, accompanied by the police, were taken to the house. The inspector of police waved his hand to them and they began operations. Together they walked into the house and thon round it. They examined the ground around closely, and in a few minutes had arrived at a conclusion: "Two fellow, big fellow and little follow ; they come to door; knock ; big fellow knock man down ; little fellow run inside, knock woman down. Take money, and run along creek.'' How this conclusion was arrived at the writer was never able to find out. The police seemed to take it as a matter of course; and, without asking for explanations, ordered the trackers to follow the tracks sharp." The banks of the creek were rough, irregular, and stony, yet both set off at a swinging pace, the writer and the police following. After fully half-a-mile had been traversed, the trackers came to a sudden bait ; they had lost the trail, but for a few moments only, for ono pointed to a broken twig on the opposite bank, and both crossed the river, with their followers close behind them. To the writer there were no tracks visible, yet the trackers could see them distinctly. After a journey of at least two hours the remains of a camp-fire was discovered. The trar'.ers thrust their hands in the ashes, and grinned with delight, for they were yet warm, and, without uttering a sound to their followers, continued the pursuit. But what chance had the men of escaping ? The trackers, with broad grins on their faces, were drawing closer to them each moraont. The writer, anxious to be "in at tho death," joined the trackers, much to their amusement. " See, big fellow sit down there; little fellow say no, come on," said one, as he pointed to a log that certainly showed no indications of having been sat upon. " See, one fellow smoke," said the other tracker, as he pointed to a wax match ; and so they continued. Towards evening smoke arising from a camp-fire was seen, and the trackers grinned more than ever. The police loaded their revolvers, and, crouching down on allfours, made for the camp, which was soon reached and its occupants covered. They proved to be a big hulking fellow and a man below the average size. They seemed surprised at being arrested, for the track they had selected was seldom traversed; but, seeing that escape was impossible, they gave themselves up without a struggle. They were then brought back to the township, where they were 'recognised by the man and woman, and committed for trial. They testified that the tracker's description of the assault and flight was correct in every detail, and tho writer was glad to get out of the company of such bloodhounds. The very thought of having one on his track is enough to make one's blood run cold.